A cream liqueur is an alcoholic beverage that is prepared from neutral spirits and flavored with fruits, nuts, spices and cream.
History of Cream Liqueurs
Cream liqueur varieties date back several centuries. The very first versions are not known but monks used to prepare flavored spirits as a form of medicine. For example, Chartreuse or Bénédictine were made as early as the 13th century and were considered essential to auspicious occasions. Overtime, cream was added to the basic liqueur recipe to make it sweeter and richer in taste giving rise to the cream liqueur recipes. Traditionally, the alcohol content of the liqueur is thought to preserve the cream which is essentially a dairy product. Most cream based liqueurs will have 40% alcohol in their mix.
Serving and Drinking Cream Liqueurs
Most cream based liqueurs have to be served cold or over ice after dinner or as a dessert.
Cream Liqueur Recipes: Popular Variations
Most manufacturers jealously guard their individual recipes resulting in a standardized taste that cannot be replicated at home. There are several popular variations that are sold commercially nowadays like
· Bailey Irish cream is an Irish whiskey, natural herbs, sugar and cream based liqueur. This is one of the very first cream based liqueurs that hit the market in 1971 and has proved to be one of the most popular at present with the highest worldwide sales
· Saint Brendan's Irish cream based liqueur is also made with whiskey and fresh cream
· Creme de la Creme Maple Cream is a Canadian variety that also uses maple syrup, alcohol, herbs and cream
· Heather cream is made from Scottish whiskey and cream and is manufactured by the Inver House Distillers in 1980
· Cruzan Rum Cream is a Caribbean blended product. The brand uses their Cruzan light rum mixed with caramel, honey, pure Irish cream, vanilla and other flavors to create a unique version.
· Amarula is a very popular South African version that uses sugar, cream, and the fruit of the African Marula tree. It has now become one of the second highest selling liqueur with cream in the world.
· Dooleys is a German brand that combines the flavors of coffee and vodka to create the typical taste.
· Voyant Chai Cream Liqueur is created by blending Caribbean rum, fresh local cream, gourmet Indian tea, Dutch neutral alcohol and Asian spices.
· Carolans Irish cream based liqueurs
· Vermeer Dutch Chocolate cream based liqueurs
· Sylk Drambuie cream based liqueurs with Scotch and honey
Miscellaneous Facts of Cream Liqueurs
As cream is milk based, contact with an acid will cause the cream in the liqueur to curdle. A cream liqueur thus cannot be served with lemon, tonic water, or wine.